Ok - I have a bit of a dilemma for Basewars. As most of you know, Basewars is a Hyperspace project - Which means the majority of the level is outside. The problem is, that because of the huge size - I have to light it all in ONE go. I want to use volumetric lighting, as this makes the playerships and robots affected by dynamic lighting. Dynamic light still affects AI with no volumetrics, but Goraud Shaded bots don't work too well without volume lights. This shading is a method of lighting an object before it is created, for example bots created via a Matcen. This is quite essential for the eye-candy in a level like this.
The problem is - Volumetrics also means that because playerships are only lighted by dynamic light, that means when flying in the space environments they will be pitch black. The only thing you'll be able to see is the engine/thruster glows, or the name of the player if HUD names is turned on. You'll be able to see the playership if they get close to a lightsource ofcourse, but there aren't many outside. But - If I don't use volumetrics, that means the AI ships could be affected - It also means the playerships will be full bright, meaning they'll be bright in a dark room, thus removing the "omph" and the realism. That and, it looks ugly when a ship is full bright.
So - What do you think? Weighing the pros and cons, what would YOU prefer?
4
are you suuuuuuuure? (See my insistance that hunter is evil thread) 
You have to admit that pitch black playerships would be rather interesting. However you would still be able to see them rather well because of 2 things.
1. They blot out the background
2. If they ARE shooting at you, they will be firing lots and lots of stuff making it plainly visible where they are.
Besides, it'd make it a lot easier to go on stealth missions. Fun fun fun...
I could go both ways but i'm leaning toward the pitchblack idea.
You have to admit that pitch black playerships would be rather interesting. However you would still be able to see them rather well because of 2 things.
1. They blot out the background
2. If they ARE shooting at you, they will be firing lots and lots of stuff making it plainly visible where they are.
Besides, it'd make it a lot easier to go on stealth missions. Fun fun fun...
I could go both ways but i'm leaning toward the pitchblack idea.
5
VL. 
Grug
Returned Loveable SectorGame Addict
The Apocalypse Project | Machina Terra | Lost Souls | Starfox: Shadows of Lylat | Stargate SG1: Earth's Defense
Returned Loveable SectorGame Addict
The Apocalypse Project | Machina Terra | Lost Souls | Starfox: Shadows of Lylat | Stargate SG1: Earth's Defense
6
I think it would be best to do the lighting so that everyhting inside is nice and lighted perfectly, that's the majority of the work, right? then show it off.
"If toast always lands butter-side down, and cats always land on their feet, what happens if you strap toast on the back of a cat and drop it?"
-Steven Wright
-Steven Wright
8
and it would be creepy, and thats always good.
Plus, there is no other level with pitch black ships, so your doing somethin never done before! Which is usually good unless theres a REASON it hasn't been done before....
Plus, there is no other level with pitch black ships, so your doing somethin never done before! Which is usually good unless theres a REASON it hasn't been done before....
10
you could edit the player ships, and put a glow point on them so they have a "halo" around them. For Multi, though it woulc be a pain to camp with that....
"If toast always lands butter-side down, and cats always land on their feet, what happens if you strap toast on the back of a cat and drop it?"
-Steven Wright
-Steven Wright
14
Actually no, the sun illuminates anything thats not behind a shadow of some sort. So everything is either 1. REALLY BRIGHT or 2. PITCH BLACK.